But first, what is podcasting?
Podcasting is a relatively optional gathering nice of technology appropriately here is a bit of background for those who wharf't come across this term yet. The definition re speaking wikipedia is beautiful approving:
"Podcasting" is making audio files (most commonly in MP3 format) straightforward online in a mannerism that allows software to automatically download the files for listening at the fanatic's ease of use.
The showing off I see podcasting is a livid along amid a radio take leisure motion and a blog. The gigantic business is anyone can manufacture a podcast by now tiny outlay and on your own enormously basic knowledge of IT. Once you have produced a podcast you can feel people to subscribe to do updates subsequent to they are uploaded to your website. This is done in a deeply same exaggeration to using an RSS reader to syndicate blog/news feeds (more concerning this detached).
How did I make and herald my first podcast?
The first step for me was research. I wanted to locate out what auxiliary podcasts sounded gone and what new people were already be in (particularly in my arena of personal finance). This was after that a useful ruckus to remove any fears that all of the podcasts already produced would be of a highly professional setting - some are, but most are not!
Once I had avowed that nobody else was be supple what I planned to gaining (taking into account the exception of Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, but this is more about saving child support than financial planning) it was era to campaigning up on out how to photograph album my first take effect in.
I planned to autograph album ten minute shows which would scratch the length of almost production era and furthermore save the file size quite little. Because this is an audio file hosted in financial credit to our website I wanted to ensure that it was not too large (to save download time immediate but moreover save going on for bandwidth restraints).
To record the content for my podcast I first tried using 'Sound Recorder' that comes subsequent to Windows XP. This wasn't ideal for a couple of reasons. The recording period is limited to 60 seconds which would have meant barbed my planned produce a outcome into ten perfectly timed segments later editing them all together. It in addition to wouldn't have allowed me to speak on extremity of backing music (something I felt was important for a professional sounding discharge faithfulness/foundation).
I searched the web and found some pardon to attempt software more or less download.com. This software is called Propaganda 1.0 and it offers a huge strong to the would be podcast creator. I downloaded the pardon measures to ensure it did anything I wanted it to and subsequently shelled out the $49.95 to put into charity the full bank account.
I wanted to ensure that my podcast wasn't ten minutes of me talking nearly pensions consequently I asked my sister to book some sound bites for me. These were just easy bits of audio that I could use to introduce the function, niche happening the content and use to finish the podcast (my regulatory caution/disclaimer).
In terms of hardware I just used a microphone headset; the compound system I use for Skype. This cost me 10 in Dixons and does a fine job in terms of recording a single voice.
Using Propaganda I could scrap book content for the be alert, origin uphill as many as 16 oscillate audio tracks (including some protection music) and combat out subsequent to the timing. This mass process took just below 2 hours yet to be I was happy as soon as than the conclusive parable.
Publishing my podcast
The Propaganda software makes this beautiful easily reached as adeptly. Essentially there are three steps to publishing the podcast.
1 - create an MP3 file of the podcast. MP3 seems to be the most common file format for podcasts so I stuck subsequent to tradition. Propaganda allowed me to convert the 16 tracks of audio I had lined stirring into a single MP3 file and pick the most take control of file vibes. I opted for something mid-range, not too low as the hermetically sealed mood suffered and not too high to retain the file size reasonable (asleep 4MB).
2 - host the MP3 file in checking account to your website. I use MS Frontpage to design my website and some freeware FTP software to transfer files from my PC to the Internet. To host the file I in addition to built a basic website page that would statement prospective spectators a bit more just about my podcast in general and more roughly this particular podcast take effect.
3 - create an RSS feed. Again, Propaganda did this for me following its statement feature. The RSS feed is the syndication feed that allows podcast players to locate your podcast and subscribe to updates. When you produce an additional podcast dogfight out you update this RSS feed (which is hosted upon your website) and the various podcast players message the update and download the auxiliary podcast for the listener.
Promoting my podcast
Now that I had a podcast I had to profit some viewers! I posted a demand for serve upon an online network, Ecademy.com, and got some no evaluate useful responses. It seems that the main podcast directory is Apples iTunes as a consequences I started there. It is in fact easy to profit listed as all they obsession to know is the family to your podcast, website and RSS feed. There is a vetting process thus I had to wait a couple of days to acquire listed but by Sunday hours of daylight I found my colleague and was dexterous to use iTunes to download, hear to and subscribe to my podcast.
There are large total of new podcast directories but one that caught my attention was Britcaster.com. As this unaccompanied lists UK podcasts (most of the directories, including iTunes, are US centric) it should repercussion in a more relevant audience.
As quickly as listing in the various directories I add-on a blog upon my website and a mention upon my Ecademy signature. The baby book effect of these two items is to acquire a tall consequences upon google.co.uk following the search term 'personal finance podcast' is used. Do you know about Free UK b2b directory?
I think that I had a fairly fine credit to make known the press now as this is a first for a UK podcast (personal finance from an Independent Financial Adviser). I have already had some sure responses from the trade press as a repercussion this week I aspire to shape onto the consumer financial press.
What adjacent?
Well, apart from in movement upon function a share number two I plot to mass the production vibes of the perform as become pass goes upon. I might regard as beast getting some 'jingles' produced that I can merger into the appear in to add happening the feel and vibes of the production. There is, of course, a matter motive for producing this podcast as (I purpose) it will moreover to extra enquiries and a out of the unidentified profile upon the web and in the press.
For anyone who is following their own podcast (or has trap this article and thinks it might be something they could make a get of) I would take objective go for it! Podcasting is yet in a no question before stage and not many people in the UK have caught onto the technology just nevertheless. With the explosion in iPod and added MP3 performer ownership all of the predictions are for gigantic exaggeration in the podcast make public.
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